This invention relates to magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) energy conversion devices, and especially to such a device for converting solar energy to electrical energy. An example of such a device is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,318 issued to Fred A. Duncan.
Existing MHD devices have not been commercially successful primarily because the working fluid did not have a sufficient degree of ionization to achieve a specific electrical conductivity of 100 mho/m or more. Operating the working fluid at a higher temperature could alleviate this problem. Temperatures of the required magnitude cannot be achieved by combustion of the usual fuels.